02/05/04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Notification: In accordance with State Statute, Staff attempted to send notification of the variance request and public hearing to all owners of property within 350 feet of the Subject Propm~ty. Observations: The subject parcel is 1.36 acres in size and is zoned R-I Rural Developing. The property is also located in a Shoreland Overlay District (it abuts Rogers Lake). City Code states that the front yard setback for accessory structures is forty (40) feet or same as the principal structure, whichever is greater. Furthermore, City Code states that on lots less than two (2) acres in size, an accessory structure cannot be nearer the fi'ont property line than the principal structure. Finally, Rogers Lake is designated as a Natural Environment Lake and has an established setback of 200 feet for structures. The principal structure on the property is approximately ninety (90) feet fi'om the front property line. On the adjacent property to the north, the principal structure is approximately forty (40) feet fi'om its fi'ont prope~Xy line. The Rockows are proposing to construct an accessory structure thirty (30) feet from the front property line and about 123 feet from the lakeshore. There are several constraints on the property restricting the applicants from meeting the front yard setback. These would include the Natural Environment Lake setback, the fact that the side and rear yard slope down to the lakeshore (the rear yard more severely than the side), and finally, there are a number of mature trees on the property and their locations also are limiting the pl~cement of an accessory, structure. Recommendation: City Staff is recommending that the variance to place the building nearer the front property line than the principal dwelling be approved. However, the applicant should be required to comply with the Rural Developing District minimum setback of forty (40) feet from the front property line. This would conform with the setback of the house to the north and the slope is not so severe as to require an inordinate amount of fill to be used. City Staff is also recommending that the variance to place the accessory building within the established setback for a Natural Environment Lake be approved. Rogers Lake also extends into Burns and Oak Grove. Those communities have classified Rogers Lake as a Recreational Development Lake, for which the structure setback from ordinary high water mark is 100 feet. City Staff are currently drafting an ordinance to update Chapter 9 (Zoning and Subdivision of Land) of the Ramsey City Code. Staff will be proposing, for purposes of consistency, to reclassify Rogers Lake, within the city limits of Ramsey, to a Recreational Development Lake like Oak Grove and Burns. If Rogers Lake is reclassified in the future to a Recreational Development Lake, it would eliminate the need for this variance and the proposed setback would be conforming.